Long Way Down

Episode 1: Gentlemen Start Your Engines

Ewan McGregor and best friend Charley Boorman prepare for their second motorcycle adventure: a 15,000 mile journey from Scotland to South Africa. They gather up the team, gear up for the dangers ahead of them, and run into a few problems before the trip even begins.

Episode 2: John O'Groats, Scotland to Sienna, Italy

Ewan and Charley begin their journey in John O'Groats, Scotland and make an emotional pitstop at a charity they are raising money for with their ride. As they travel through England, France and finally into Italy the crew feels rushed to make the ferry into Africa.

Episode 3: Sienna, Italy to Tobruk, Libya

As the clock works against them, Ewan and Charley spend some time in Italy, riding from Sienna, through Rome, and finally into Sicily where they must catch a ferry to Africa. It doesn't take long for them to notice the changes in climate once in Tunisia. From there, they ride to Libya and encounter some difficult weather conditions.

Episode 4: Tobruk, Libya to Khartoum, Sudan

Once leaving Libya, the guys travel through Egypt and after a few mishaps in Cairo they put their bikes on a ferry to take them down river. With a few days to spare the guys take a flight out to Kenya to learn about an organization of motorcyclists that assist in getting doctors to the sick. They fly back and get on the ferry to Sudan, only to find that the new terrain leads to new issues.

2 Best Friends, 15,000 Miles, 1 Epic Adventure

We at Explore® were more than ready to offer our expertise to Ewan, Charley and the rest of the team for the Long Way Down project. We already operated in all but one of their planned countries. The group had done quite a bit of research for planning the route, timings and even finding ‘Fixers” to help them along the way. With this thorough planning and our vast knowledge and contacts throughout the continent this trip was sure to be a success.

Ewan and Charley’s attitudes mirrored the goals of Explore®. First and foremost we plan everything but are ready to adapt to how the trip really progresses. We also want to delve deeper into the country and become part of its culture while travelling through it. In addition Long Way Down wanted to help the people they met along the way which was an attitude Explore® identified with and was eager to assist in. In the true spirit of our adventures we worked together to make the trip as authentic as possible.

We met with the team and spent hours reviewing the maps of their proposed destinations at Long Way Down headquarters. We needed to capitalize on our experiences and knowledge to give the team the best route. We wanted to point them towards beautiful scenery, stunning wildlife and fun adventures where we could utilize out contacts. One way we did this was by arranging a white water rafting trip for them when they arrived in Uganda. We worked next to Ewan and Charley throughout this process. Although they will be the ones driving, we wanted them to know that we were right behind them all the way to Cape Town.

The Long Way Down team set off with high spirits and with confidence. They knew we were here to support them and help them throughout their journey, which would have helped!

The first problem arose as they reached Sicily when they guys needed new tires in preparation for crossing into Africa. With minimal effort we were able to use our connections and get the needed tires imported quickly from the UK. With our support Ewan and Charley were able to smoothly cross from the streets of Europe to the deserts of Africa. A difficult situation had been averted.

The phone rang once more in Ethiopia and our African Operations Managers lent their assistance with some strategic ground planning. Travelling through this area can be quite problematic. We were able to ease the customs process and ensure the crew’s safety as they passed through some of the less stable parts of the country.

As the Long Way Down team headed south we provided activities along the way that gave Ewan and Charley some of the most spectacular sights and experiences in the world in a way normally reserved for locals. In doing so we were able to show them the real Africa.

We have over 27 years of experience plus a team of well travelled experts that will plan all the details of the adventure. This is along with the backup and support to ensure our customers have an amazing experience, building personal ties with the people they meet along the way and making incredible memories at the same time.

For more information visit Explore!